The Rise
by Gumbo
Summary: The war is over, and now human's and animals must fight back.


The Rise.   
Tobias.   
I focused my hawk eyes on the ground below. For so long I had not   
eaten   
a decent mouse. Not since the yeerks won. How long ago was it? To   
long   
for my hawk brain to remember. Once they one the cut down all the   
trees,   
kiled nearly all the animals, and made controlers of almost   
everyone. A   
few managed to excape to a cave in the rocky mountains. Racel and   
Jake   
were controlers. Marco lived in the caves in hdeing with the other   
lucky   
people who excaped. What happened to Cassie no one knew. Ax died in   
the   
final war. I spooted the rotting body of some poor person, as   
horrable   
as it was a landed beside it and ate my fill. The I flew back to   
caves. 

Marco.   
I sat on the rocky floor of the cave. I was so tired, I was tired   
all   
the time lately. Tobias landed next to me, "find anything to eat?"   
I   
asked him (yeah a bit,) he replied. I didnt qustion it, I knew   
Tobias   
would eat what was avalable, and whats avalable isnt always nice.   
Not   
for the first time I thought about Jake, I wondered what he was   
thinking   
right now, what he was doing. "Hey guy's," said Carly another   
residant   
at the caves walking in, "Wheeler's come back with some food," she   
told   
us. I walked out with Tobias on my shoulder, each day one of us   
pretend   
to be a controler and goes to the yeerk camp for rations. I sat   
next to   
James, a friend of mine. "Have some mush," he said handing me a   
bowel   
filled with some goo the yeerks were trying to pass off as food.   
But   
hey, thats my life now. 

Cassie.   
I'm lucky. While all my friend are battling in that liveing hell I   
once   
called hell, I'm liveing in a little piece of heaven. Hidden away   
were   
the yeerks will never find it is a vally. The hork-bjir vally. I   
live   
with the hork-bjir and a lost tribe. They lost tribe is a group of   
tribes people, we also managed to save some animals. Two cheetahs,   
a   
tiger, several birds, heaps of mice and things, four wolfs and a   
gorrila. There ranks fall and rise. "Cassie, Casie!" I turned   
Nakiomi a   
girl in the tribe was running towars me, "One of the cheetahs is   
giveing   
birth!" I followed her to the cheetah, I helped it to give birth.   
As I   
watched the cheetah lick her new daughter I wondered if the humans   
would   
ever rise up and win. 

Jake.   
"Help some one help!" I screamed, my voice was horse, "Please!" I   
screamed. I knew it was hopeless. Soon I would be reinfested. I   
sunk   
down to the bottem of the cage and sobbed. A young women with long   
blonde hair was thrown in next to me. I thought nothing of it. Then   
she   
stood up, "you wont win you stupid yeerks!" She screamed, "I'll   
kill you   
all I will! Mark my words, you hear me.?" I hadnt heard that voice   
for   
so long, to long. "Rachel?" I gasped, "Jake?" she fell into my arms   
sobbing. "What happened to the others?" I asked, as I had been   
taken   
before her. She looked down, "Ax died, Tobias and Marco got away, I   
dont   
know if there still alive though. I dont know what happened to   
Cassie,   
she just dissapeared one day." I held my cousan close. "Good to   
see you   
cous," I whispered, "Yeah it is." 

Rachel   
Jake held me, then all to soon a hork-bjir roughly grabbed him by   
the   
collor and dragged him away. Before he left my sight I heard him   
yell   
"Be stronge Rach, be strong." "Jake!" I screamed, but he was gone.   
It was   
no use morphing, the yeerks expected that, before I'd even got   
halfway   
they'd stun me with there dracons. A hork-bjir grabbed me, "let me   
go   
you yeerk freak!" I screamed, but of course the yeerk ignored me.   
He   
took me to the reinfestion pier, he jammd my head into the yeerk   
filth,   
and I felt the pain as the yeerk rentered my head. IM BACK. 

Tobias   
While the others ate I went for a fly, the ground below me was   
baren. A   
lone starving wolf hunted for food that wasnt there. I was overcome   
with   
anger, I flew and flew. I didnt know were I was going I just flew.   
I came to rest on a leafless tree, I looked around, the   
surroundings   
where familier, then it hit me. I was at my old tree, in my old   
territory. I couldnt stand looking at how lifless it had become so   
I   
flew off. I flew deep in thought for a while, not sure of were I   
was   
going, when I looked down I saw a lush green vally, I thought I was   
imaganing it but then I saw to tall green razore like creatures. I   
had   
found the hork-bjir vally. 

Marco   
"Were's Tobias?" Asked Carly, I shrugged. "He's been gone awhile   
hasnt   
he?" She wondered, "all day," I told her. I tried not to look as   
worried   
as I felt. Tobias was my only true friend if he died, even worse if   
he   
was a controler, our group would no longer be safe. "Im sure he is   
fine," said carly as if reading my thoughts. I nodded, but as night   
fell   
and Tobias wasnt back I started to get really worried. I hoped that   
he   
was ok. I lookedup at the starless sky, were are you Tobias? I   
asked   
myself. 

Cassie   
I watched the young cheetah cub play, it had no idea of the horror   
surrounding the vally. I sat back and daydreamed. (Cassie? Cassie   
is   
that really you?) I jumped up startled, I scanned sky, a bird was   
circeling over head. (Cassie!) "Oh my gosh," my knees buckled,   
"Tobias!"   
The bird landed next to me and demorphed. Or morphed in Tobias'   
case.   
"Oh my gosh," I said again. Tobias grinned his crocked grin, "good   
to   
see you to," he said I didnt know what to say then a horrable idea   
dawned on me, "Your not a controller are you?" Even as I said it I   
felt   
stupid, I mean even if he was a contoller it wasnt like he was   
going to   
admit it or anything. Tobias half grinned, "nah I'm not," his half   
grin   
dissapered, "but Rachel is, and Jake." I knew he was telling the   
truth.   
"What about, Ax and, Marco?" I asked him almost not wanting to hear   
the   
answer. "Ax, he died, Marco lives with me and a few others up in   
some   
caves." Tobias held my hand, and we talked all day long. 

Jake   
The yeerk rentered my head, how I hated him. WELL WELL WELL HUMAN,   
I SEE   
YOU HAVE SEEN YOUR COUSAN. I ignored the stupid yeerk. Sometimes I   
wonder if I'll ever be free again, OF COURSE YOU WONT. Dumb yeerk.   
I   
know the chances are pretty small but hey, I once heard someone say   
'though hope is frail, its hard to kill.' HA HA HA HOPE WILL DO YOU   
NO   
GOOD JAKE. The hate I feel for the yeerk scares me. Even when we   
battled   
Visser 3 I didnt feel hate so strong. MY MY HUMAN, GETTING   
THOUGHTFULL   
TODAY EH? Oneday, I told myself, oneday I'll be free. 

Rachel   
You will die one day yeer! You will! I screamed silently in my own   
head.   
FUNNY, YOU TELL ME THAT EVERY DAY AND YET, IT NEVER HAPPENS. It   
will.   
When the time is right it will. HA HA HA. The forced me outside,   
YOUR   
HUNGRY HUMAN, I'D BETTER GET SOME FOOD. Why? Wouldnt you rather see   
me   
starve yeerk? HA STARVE SUCH AN AMUSING HOST? I THINK NOT. I looked   
around, I was at the food line, ifront of me was a red headed male.   
He   
was jumpy like he didnt belong there or something. HE IS SUSPICIOUS   
ISNT   
HE? No, not at all. DONT LIE HUMAN. The man got some food then   
headed   
off, to my horror the yeerk followed him. The man headed up the   
mountain, the yeerk followed him. The path got stepper and more   
dangerous, the yeerk lost its footing and feel to the gloom below. 

Tobias   
I talked with Cassie then I hunted and caught the first mouse I'd   
had in   
over a year, when it started to get dark I realized I should get   
back. I   
landed next to Cassie, (I have to go before Marco goes into parinoa   
mode.) "Hey wait," she said laughing "I'll come with you." (Ok.)   
She   
morphed ospry and we took off. (I'll kill them, I really will,)   
said   
Cassie when she saw what the yeerks had done to the land. (It gets   
worse   
I told her.) I lead her to the caves, I could see Marco, he was   
scanning   
the sky, looking for me probably. (Yo! Marco.) I called Cassie and   
I   
landed next to him. "You'd better have he good reason for being   
late."   
He growled. (You sound like Jake did,) said Cassie. Marco's mouth   
dropped open, "Cassie?" He gasped. (Yeah.) He looked like he was   
going   
to say more but Wheeler cut him off. "Tobias, Marco," We've got an   
ingery. Cassie demorphed and followed us to wheeler. "Who?" Asked   
Marco,   
"no one we know." said Wheeler. "I controller followed me from the   
food   
camp, comeing back she slipped, I heard her and brought her here."   
I   
flew over to the young woman. As I looked at her I saw the face I   
never   
expected to see again. 

Marco   
Tobias fluttered over to see who it was. He looked down at the body   
and   
froze. "Tobias you ok?" I called to him. He didnt answer, it was   
like he   
was in shock. "Earth to Tobias," I sang. (It's Rachel.) He sounded   
like   
he was in a daze. Isnt it funny how someone can give a whole speach   
and   
make you feel nothing, yet two words used used the right way can   
make   
you feel like you'v swallowed barbed wire? "What?" gasped Cassie.   
(Its   
Rachel, right here.) "You know this person?" Asked Wheeler, "yeah,"   
said   
Cassie, "she's a good friend." "Well you had better tie her up   
before   
she awakens," said Wheeler, "I'll go get some rope." He jogged off.   
I   
shook my head, "Ok this was the last person I expected to see." I   
said.   
Rachels eyes fluttered open, when she saw us a look that was pure   
Rachel   
not yeerk crossed her face. Fear, surprize, hope, and joy all in   
one. 

Cassie   
It was all I could do not to jump for joy, Rachel here! It was   
turning   
out to be one heck of a day. Rachel woke up, she looked surprized   
to see   
us, but the yeerk took back control. The yeerk sneared scornfully,   
"my   
oh my," she said. "I seem to have found the remaning animorphs. Why   
I   
shall be promated!" She stood up and go ready to leave, but Marco   
was   
quik, he grabbed her and pinned her down. Wheeler came back with   
the   
rope then and tied her up. (You didnt think you could get away that   
easy, did you yeerk?) Asked Tobias. Rachel scoweled, but said   
nothing.   
We all left her then, exept Tobias. 

Jake   
It was time for the yeerk to get some more Kandrona, I think   
knowing   
that for a small time every three days I'll be free is the only   
thing   
that keeps me going. SHUT UP HUMAN. No you shut up. The yeerk was   
shoked   
I never talk back to him. I AM NOT SHOKED. Yes you are. SHUT UP   
HUMAN. I   
dont think I will. SHUT UP! Heh heh touchy. I CONTROL YOU HUMAN   
DONT   
MESS WITH ME!! Yeah what ever. Like they say, being a contoler does   
have   
some good aspects. 

Rachel   
Cassie and Marco left, but Tobias stayed by my side. It wouldnt be   
long   
now and I would be free. DONT COUNT ON IT. Didnt I always say you   
would   
die one day?? Didn't I yeerk? SHUT UP. I'M NOT GOING TO DIE. But your   
already   
weak for kandrona. IM NOT. Oh but you are yeerk. (It wont be long   
now   
Rachel.) I heard Tobias' comforting voice in my head. Oh how I   
missed   
Tobias, but I would be seeing him again soon. NO YOU WONT BE. Yes I   
will   
yeerk, after all you are due for a Kandrona refill, and I dont see   
no   
Kandrona near by. OH, OH SHUT UP. The yeerk was silent, then the   
fugue   
began. 

Tobias   
I stayed with Rachel, comforting her, te yeerk didnt say anything,   
then   
the fugue began. It wasnt pretty, her arms and legs shook, she   
cried out   
in pain. I morphed human to comfort her. Part of me wanted to   
leave, but   
the other part was afraid that if I turned for a second she would   
dissapear. "Its ok Rach," I told her. Half an hour later she opened   
her   
eyes, I dont know how but I knew she opened them, not the yeerk.   
Five   
minutes later I saw a grey slug leave her head, "its over," I   
whispered   
holding her close, "Its gone." 

Marco   
Cassie and I sat and talked, she told me off the hork-bjir I told   
her of   
the caves. Then I heard a voice, "hey guys," Rachel! Tobias was   
next to   
her in human morph. Rachel hugged Cassie, Tobias sat down next to   
me.   
We all talked for ages, Tobias demorphed then remorphed, and we   
talked   
some more. It was like old times, almost. "What should we do?"   
Asked   
Tobias, "go down to the yeerk pool and attack!" Rachel of course.   
"Hey   
normally I'm all for a suicide mission," I said "but there arnt   
enough of   
us." "He's right," said Tobias. "Wait!" Gasped Cassie, "back at the   
valley, the tribe, they'd help and all the animals are trained for   
was!"   
"So we do this then?" Asked Tobias, "Oh yeah," said Rachel. 

Cassie   
It was great to see the others again. I hadn't realized how much I   
missed them. We morphed birds and flew to the vally, when we   
arrived   
they demorphed, (exept Tobias,) and I called the tribe over. When I   
explained the situation, they quikly agreed to help us. We rounded   
up   
most of the trained animals, we were all set. We decided to hike to   
the   
main yeerk pool, after all Rachel knew the way off by heart. As if   
by   
some dumb luck no one saw our monsterious group heading for the   
pool, by   
the time we got there it was dark. We all sat behind a large   
builhing.   
"Ok, heres what we do," said Marco. "Morph battle morphs go in   
there and   
let rip, and do as much damage as poosable. Ok?" We all nodded,   
then we   
went in. 

Jake   
The yeerk stood on the look out watching for trouble. I looked to,   
desperate for trouble. WHY HUMAN? IF THERE IS TROUBLE YOU WILL DIE   
WITH   
ME. So? I'd rather be dead than be a controler. STUPID HUMAN.   
Stupid   
yeerk. The yeerk went back to watching. Nothing happened for a   
while. It   
was boring really. When suddenly I heard a loud rouar from the main   
yeerk pool. Like a loin, or a tiger. Wait mabye the others had   
arrived!!   
IF THEY HAVE THEY WONT LIVE FOR LONG. The yeerk raced to the room   
grabing a dracon on the way. He stormed into the room. Infront of   
me a   
wondeful sight emerged. A gorrila, a elephant, a wolf, a red tail   
hawk,   
millions of other animals and a large group of indian people were   
engaged in a battle. The animals were winning. Yes! I cheered to my   
self   
the andalited has come back! SHUT UP YOU STUPID HUMAN. The yeerk   
stepped   
on to a platform, "Silence!" he screamed. Everything around me   
stopped. 

Rachel   
"Silence!" A familier voice screamed. I stopped and spun around.   
There   
standing on a platform was Jake. The yeerk was still in his head, I   
wanted nothing more than to reach into his brain and rip it out.   
Jake   
laughed cruely. "My host is haveing a fit in here." He said to us   
tapping his head. He turned to the hork-bjir. "Take care of these   
fools." I lunged, Jake had no time to react, i slammed into him, he   
uttered a surpzised gasp then crumpled. He didnt rise. 

Tobias   
We watched as Jake crumpled. (Jake!) Cried Cassie, she started to   
run to   
hm but a hork-bjir blocked her. We faught and faught, it seemed no   
matter how hard we tried more enamies just kept comeing. But then   
as if   
by miricle the yeerks made a beline for there space ships and took   
off.   
We thought we had won. But how wrong we were. 

Marco   
We half carried half dragged Jake kicking and screaming to the   
hork-bjir   
vally. The others that couldnt come were there waitng. I also saw   
the   
others from the caves were there. I scanned the group or Carly.   
Good she   
was there safe. Ok I admit it, I like her. I'd never tell her   
though. I   
demorphed, and Carly ran over. "Your ok!" "Yeah," I said. I saw   
Tobias   
give Rachel a look he must have morphed human. I ignored it, then   
turned   
and began tying up a screaming Jake. 

Cassie   
Marco lent over and tied up Jake. A girl stood behind him. I walked   
over   
to Tobias and Rachel. "Who's that," I asked Tobias pointing at the   
girl.   
Tobias grinned and shook his head. "That," he said clearly amused,   
"is   
Carly." He shook his head again, "Carly likes Marco, and Marco   
likes   
Carly, they just dont know that the other likes them." I laughed   
softly.   
"You wont get away with this they'll be back!" The yeerk in Jakes   
head   
screamed. Tobias looked the yeerk in the eye. "And when they do   
we'll   
have Jake to help us fight." The yeerk shut up after that. 

Rachel   
We sat around a camp fire. Tobias was perched on my shoulder. Jake   
or   
the yeerk I should say had taken a short break from screaming. Some   
of   
the people from the tribe performed a dance. I felt great being   
there   
with Tobias. "Let. Me. Go!" Screeched the Jake/yeerk remembering to   
scream. I sighed, "geez Tobias I didnt sceam that much did I?"   
Tobias   
laughed, (nah if you did I would have hit you on the head with a   
mallet.) I playfully shoved him. He laughed and flew off then   
landed   
back on my shoulder. 

Jake   
The yeerk was not letting up. He screamed to his, I mean my   
throught was   
horse. Dont you know how to shut up? I asked him. As if in rely he   
screamed louder. I saw Rachel roll her eyes and say something to   
Tobias.   
He replied pivetly she laughed and shoved him. I felt jelous but   
hey   
soon I'd have Cassie back. NO YOU WONT HUMAN. Oh yeah? I think I   
will.   
"Untie me!" The yeerk screeched. I saw Cassie get up and come over.   
She   
looked at me. "Look yeerk," she said snappishly, "we aint gonna   
untie   
you so why dont you just shut up?" The yerk ignored her. For once   
it   
wasnt me doing the ignoring. 

Tobias   
Rachel and I talked forever. We could almost drown out Jakes   
screams.   
"That get you for this!" He screamed "They'll kill you all slo-" He   
stopped in midsentance. Cassie rushed over. (Its started,) I   
whispered   
to Rachel, she nodded. We watched as Cassie soothed Jake, then we   
saw a   
grey slug leave his ear. I turned away, It was all I needed to see. 

Marco   
We had a dinner of wild fruits and fish. It was the best food I'd   
had in   
a long time. Carly agreed exept she didnt eat the fish because   
she's a   
vegitareian. I tease her about that as often as possable. Like now,   
"mmmmmm" I said "this fish is just so nice." "That fish," said   
Carly,   
"was once a liveing breathing animal." "So was that berry," I   
joked.   
Carly looked at it, "It was?" She sounded fretful it was hard to   
tell if   
she was jokeing or not. I burst out laughing, Carly joined me. I   
saw   
Cassie talking to Jake, and Rachel fooling with Tobias. Mabye, just   
mabye it was over. 

Cassie   
Jake was getting used to being free again, he had been a controler   
for   
over a year now. He was wierded out but thats to be expected. He   
shook   
his head, "I cant believe I'm acually free," he exclaimed. I   
laughed. I   
saw a familier face in the croud. "Look!" I called, "theres Eric."   
Eric   
the chee walked over to us." The others saw him and came over to.   
"You   
have done great damge to the yeerk," he said not bothering to greet   
us.   
"But you have not defeated them, they will be back." He sighed,   
"They   
are angry now it will be dangous for you to fight them." I looked   
around   
me, Tobias was on Rachels shoulder, Carly was leaning on Marco, and   
I   
had Jake. It didnt matter how hard the fight got, we'd always be   
together.   
  



End file.
